Little things count when selling a home

Little things count when you list your home for sale!

The question most often heard when preparing a home for sale is, “How can I make my home sell fast?” The common answer is to price competitively for your market. Simply said price an important point, although it is not a complete answer consider these Little Things Count:

Is the Price, Right?

Many home sellers in today’s market have no idea of or come to terms with where the market is. The media sensualizes the good and bad of everything to gain viewer head counts. Listen, facts are facts and is what it is. What your home was worth a few years back has absolutely no effect on current pricing. As a seller, you must compare your immediate competition and look at what homes are closing for, the actual sales price NOT the asking price.

An easy way to gather this knowledge is to go to my web site HomeSearch.Directory or www.Realtor.com, my site is updated continually. Look at what homes in your area with similar features, square footage and condition are asking. Step in the buyers shows and imagine you are the buyer looking to purchase for yourself.

After reviewing the local competition price your home competitively, remember your buyers are in the driver’s seat, not you.

To help you with this research I would like to offer my service to visit a few homes listed for sale. Visiting a few homes look at the price compare to your home which would you purchase? Why would prefer that home over the other? Another way to look at it would be to ask yourself “If I can buy this home for this much, how much would I pay for mine. It is most important to remove yourself from your showing and become the buyer

Little Things Count – Cleanliness is next to godliness.

With the competition sellers face in today’s market your home must be “Show Ready” before listing, it’s a must.

I can’t tell you the number of homes I’ve shown that I felt the need to dowse myself in a disinfectant upon leaving. When your home doesn’t show in a good light you won’t get top dollar for it. It fact you won’t have good traffic to view it. The buyer’s impression is extremely important you only have that one chance, they won’t come back. But the buyer’s agent’s impression is even more important. If that agent gets a bad impression, what are the chances of he or she showing your home to others? None right!

Keeping your home in pristine condition during the duration of your listing isn’t easy. It can be stressful and feel like another job, true. But it will pay off in dollars and cents. If you get an additional $10,000 at closing and it took an hour a day to prep your home for the next showing you’ve been paid well! An additional benefit is that you get to live in a clean and pristine home in the meantime.

The view oh, what a view!

As a teenager, I did lawn care and took pride in getting my lawns especially well down by doing more than my competitors would do. My clients often would come out stand in the street look back at their homes and say “It’s beautiful”. Neighbors would then hire me instead of whoever had been doing their lawns, they wanted “curb appeal”. That little something that made thier home stand out. That’s what buyers are looking for “The Little Something” that makes your home stand out in the crowd! That should be your goal, it means additional money to you and a faster sale.

Today’s “Curb Appeal” is also electronic – the internet

Keep I mind that nearly 90% of the buyers have searched and eliminated homes on-line! Unless, your listing photos in advertisements, on-line and on the MLS show “That Little something” that makes them a little better than the others your home may not be picked. Have you ever noticed a neighbor planting flowers, trimming scrubs and trees, painting the exterior, etc. That neighbor is doing the “Little Things Count”. I doubt it’s because there isn’t anything on TV, instead I think your neighbor is preparing to put his / her home for sale. Remember, buyers want value! A great way to show it is to have manicured property which anyone, including yourself, will enjoy walking up to. Simply put; The Little Things Count, maximize your sales price.

Who took the photos?

Bad photos will make a good home look bad! Looking back to that wonderful network of computers, the INTERNET. Your potential buyers are previewing your home before they see it in person using the internet. When a single guy or girl joins a dating service what if the first thing they do? Search all their photos looking for the best photos for their profile, why? Because they are selling themselves on-line! (Don’t take that the wrong way, no hate mail please)

Make sure all photos are done with great care regardless of who is taking them. Your buyer is not interested in your cat(s), dog(s) or children, your photos should be of your home without any distractions. It’s the Little Things That Count:

no dirty dishes in the sinks

toilets lid closed

no dirty cloths

clothing and linens should be neatly put away

no kitty litter boxes or pet food dishes

no garbage or left over food visible

all interior and exterior lights should be on for photos

Today’s buyers are picky it’s the Little Things Count

Buyers are often confused not able to decide. Realtors say some buyers just can’t pull the trigger and make an offer. The problem may be; in the “old” days a real estate agent would take buyers to see 2 to 5 homes. Now buyers can review hundreds even thousands of homes on the internet they’re looking for the castle priced like it’s a shack.

Remember, it’s The Little Things count. You’ve seen beautiful photos of homes in magazines, they’re beautiful, there isn’t a single distraction. If you or your agent can’t seem to get that group of photos that show your home properly you might higher a pro. You don’t need a work of art, just show your home well. Today buyers are picky it’s The Little Things Count

Buyers are often confused not able to decide. Realtors say some buyers just can’t pull the trigger and make an offer. The problem may be; in the “old” days a real estate agent would take buyers to see 2 to 5 homes. Now buyers can review hundreds even thousands of homes on the internet they’re looking for the castle priced like it’s a shack.

How do you handle it?

Have your realtor give you the buyer and buyer’s agent reviews from each showing. If the buyers are complaining about worn out carpet in the bedroom, replace it. If they are worried about the older appliances including furnace and A/C units, throw in a “Home Warrantee”. These small incentives will reduce time on market plus increase the chances to a more profitable sale. Remember, the little things count!

You’re welcome to visit my web site HomeSearch.Directory , compare your home with those currently on the market.